Automatic flushing-tank for water-closet hoppers.



No. 784,784. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905. H. H. & J. G. FLEGK.

AUTOMATIC FLUSHING TaANK FOR WATER CLOSET HOPPERS.

APPLIOATION FILED sBPT.z7, 1904.

UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

HENRY H. FLEGK AND JOHN G. FLECK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FLUSHlNG-TANK FOR WATER-CLOSET HOPPERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,784, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed September 2'7J 1904:. Serial No. 226,112.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, HENRY H. FLECK and JOHN G. FLECK, citizens of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Flushing- Tanks for Tater-Closet Hoppers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention has relation to a flushing-tank for water-closet hoppers adapted to be automatically controlled by the depressing or elevating of the seat of the water-closet; and in such connection it relates particularly to the construction and arrangement of sucliaflushing-tank for said purposes.

The principal objects of our invention are,

first, to provide a flushing-tank for watercloset hoppers which shall be normally empty, and especially as such at certain seasons antifreezing, and, second, to provide in such a flushing-tank means for automaticallyiilling the tank when a person is seated upon the hopper-seat and readily and quickly freed of its fluid contents upon rising from the hopperseat to thoroughly iiush the same. The nature, characteristic features, and scope of our invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which* Figure l is a vertical central sectional view of a fiushing-tank embodying main 'features of our invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail View of a portion of actuating' devices of the elevated tank, and Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing a form of watercloset hopper with an elevated iiushing-tank of our invention in application thereto and also showing the manner of controlling the filling and discharge of the fluid of the iiushing-tank by the action of the seat of the water-closet hopper.

Referring to the drawings, the flushing-tank A is provided at its bottom with ordinary outlet and inlet nozzles a and b, to which the flush-pipe a and supply-pipe Z/ are respectively suitably connected therewith. The inner end of the outlet-nozzle a is formed into a valve seat a2, above which is arranged a plunger-valve pipe a, provided at its lower end with a rubber gasket ai, so that when the pipe a3 is lowered in a manner to be hereinafter described there is formed in conjunction with the valve-seat c2 a closure for the outlet-nozzle c to the pipe al, leading to the hoppers. The pipe a3 is open at its upper end to form an overflow when the pipe is in its lowermost position within the tank to close the outlet-nozzle a, and this pipe a3 is suspended, by means of a chain a5, from a fulcrumed rockarm c, and from the end of this arm c, by means of a link 3, is suspended a cap L2. This cap b2 serves as a counterweight to normally raise the pipe o3 to maintain open the outletnozzle a, and the cap b2 lits over the end L" of the inlet-nozzle projecting upward into the flushing-tank A. This end 7)" is provided with perforations /f to control the flow of water into the tank when the cap [Il is elevated into the position illustrated. Vhen the cap b2 is in the position shown in Fig. l, the water-supply to the tank is cut off; but when water is being supplied to the tank the cap b2 will be raised by the pressure of the water, so that the cap occupies the position .illustrated, for example, in Fig. 2. The lower end of the cap Ui is made, preferably, bell shape, as at L", so that when the cap is raised by the pressure of the water the bellshape portion of the cap will occupy a position opposite the openings 5, and thus serve to maintain the cap in its raised position. A set-screw l serves in conjunction with a slot b to limit the range of vertical movement of the cap L, as illustrated in Fig. 2. In Fig. 3 is shown one manner of controlling the watersupply by means of the seat Z of the watercloset. A spring-controlled valve bl", of ordinary type, employed to supply ruiming water to the water-closet hopper when a person is seated upon the seat, is arranged in the supply-pipe and this Valve LI is actuated in the usual manner by means of a lug (l, projecting from the seat (Z.

The mode of operation of the flushing-tank A is as follows: The tank is normally empty. Then a person sits upon the seat (Z, the valve l will be actuated, and the pressure of the water will cause the cap b2 to be raised and IOO the plunger-valve pipe n. to be lowered to close the outlet-nozzle a to the [lush-pipe f/, leading to 'the hopper of the water-closet. The water will now iiow into the tank A so long as a person remains seated on the seat (Z of the closet. Vhen, however, the person rises from the seat (Z, the water-supply through the pipe to the tank will be cut otl" by the valve 1, and the pressure being' thus shut off the cap b2 will fall and raise the pipe (t3 through the rock-arm c, and the water will then ilow rapidly 'from the elevated tank A through the pipe a to the water-closet hopper to l'lush the same. rlhe particular advantage ol such a iiushing-tank adapted to be maintained no1'- mally empty is that at certain seasons of the year, as water never remains in the tank, freezing of water therein will thereby be pre- Vented.

Having thus described the nature and objects of our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a vllushing apparatus, the combination with an elevated tank, of a supply-pipe leading thereto, a valve slidably connected therewith and normally controllingl the outlet therefrom, a Hush-pipe leading' from said tank, a valve connected with said flush pipe, and means connecting' said l'lush-pipe valve with said supply-pipe valve, -Lhe latter adapted to hold said flush-pipe valve normally in an inoperative position and to close the same by the pressure of liuid supplied to said tank.

2. In a flushing apparatus, the combination with an elevated tank, oit' a supply-pipe leading thereto, a Valve movably connected therewith, a `Hush-pipe leading' 'from said tank, a valve connected with said Hush-pipe, means connecting' said Hush-pipe Valve with said su pply-pipe valve, the latter adapted to close the flush-pipe valve when raised by the pressure of the lluid conducted through said supplypipe to said tank.

3. In a l'lushing apparatus, the combination with an elevated tank, ol a supply-pipe leading thereto and provided with outlets, a valve movably connectedtherewith and adapted no1'- mally to close the outlets ol said supply-pipe,

a Hush-pipe leading from said tank, a valve connected therewith, means adapted to conneet said Hush-pipe valve with said supplypipe valve to hold the same open, the supplypipe Valve adapted to close the flush-pipe valve when raised by the pressure of the liuid conducted to said tank and to permit said flushpipe valve to open when the supply to said tank ceases. n

4. ln a flushing apparatus, the combination with an elevated tank, of a supply-pipe leading thereto, a flush-pipe leading from said tank, a closet-bowl seat with a movable valve controlled by the movement of said seat to permit l'luid to enter said tank by actuation of said supply-pipe valve and to close at the same time the Hush-pipe valve and then upon the raising of the seat and closing of its valve to open the 'flush-pipe valve to empty the tank into said closet-bowl, a combined valve and overflow governing the Hush-pipe, means in movable connection with the supply-pipe in said tank, and means connecting said means with said Hush-valve, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a flushing' apparatus, the combination with an elevated tank, ol a supply-pipe leading thereto, a.iiusl1-pipe leading therefrom, a closet-bowl to which the Hush-pipe is connected, a movable seat on said bowl, a valve in the supply-pipe controlled by said seat, a combined valve and` overliow governing the Hush-pipe, a bell-shaped cap upon the eX- tremity of the supply-pipe within the tank having a sliding movement thereon, means for limiting said sliding' movement and a rocking' lever connected to said cap and to said Hush-Valve, whereby the latter is operated by the former.

ln testimony whereof we have hereunto set our signatures in the presence o'l' two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY H. FLECK. JOHN (nr. FLECK.

Vitnesses:

WVILLIAM T. l/VHEELIJB, ERNEST F. PREVOST. 

